The Kitsune's Swordsman
by KingRPG
Summary: The Elemental Knights, the elite forces in the army of an Empire. They can manipulate a natural element to assist them, are considered the best of the best and are well-respected people in the Empire. Now that Naruto also wants to become an Elemental Knight, his life... will change forever! AU, no pairings decided as of yet. Fantasy setting
1. The Dream

**A/N: Alright, another new story popped into my head and I feel I needed to write this down. Of course I'll still be working on my two other stories with "Second Chance" being the main priority to work on but the other this and the other will be updated at a much slower pace.**

**Now about this story... I've decided to write a completely new setting and rules to the Naruto world (Basically an AU). You'll find out as you read this chapter. Basically consider this chapter as a sort of prologue to explain some of the basic concepts and rules of what I have in mind for this fantasy setting. I hope you guys will enjoy this story. Now read on and I'll explain further at the end of this chapter :)**

CHAPTER 1: THE DREAM

"Where are we going?" Naruto whined as he was being pulled by his friend.

"I already told you, we're going to the arena!" Kuwato exclaimed, his black hair dancing in the sunlight, "Don't you know what's going on today?"

"Not interested…" Naruto responded, causing his friend to roll his eyes.

"Come on, you've never even seen any of the Elemental Knights in action! This is a great chance! I mean, we actually got free tickets! Now come on!"

"I thought you never liked going to these kind of events." Naruto said, hoping to still convince the boy of changing his plans.

"Well not this one!" Kuwato replied instantly, "Besides everyone in the empire of Fire is coming down to Konoha JUST to attend this event! Don't you think we're lucky we got this for free?!"

Naruto made no comment so Kuwato added in, "Besides maybe you'll see a couple of cute girls too!"

Naruto groaned and simply allowed his friend to just pull him to whatever destination Kuwato wanted to go. He was just fine a couple of minutes ago, enjoying a bowl of Ramen at the orphanage when without a word, Kuwato had dragged Naruto away from his meal and said they were going to the arena.

The arena of Konoha; a stadium in the center of the capital was a structure that allowed at least 20,000 people to witness any event that was being held. However Naruto realized that Kuwato had not told him what even they were going to watch; only something about some knights going to do something. The young blonde bothered to not ask seeing as he would find out soon enough anyway.

Indeed Kuwato was right however; there were a large number of people moving in the direction of where the stadium was located. They were all chattering amongst themselves excitedly, not paying attention to the two ten year old orphans at all. Whatever it was, it seems that this event was popular it seemed.

The Fire Empire was huge after all, consisting of a large amount of villages and towns in its control with Konoha being the capital of the empire. The king of Konoha lived here as well as the 'Hokage', considered as the most powerful knight under the command of the king. Naruto never paid much attention to any of this stuff.

"Alright we're here!" Kuwato said excitedly.

Naruto cringed at the sight. They were now in a long line and from what Naruto could see, the place was packed with people. Even though they had around twenty lines, it was still not enough as more and more people entered the lines.

"Ugh, do we really have to watch this? I mean, look at the line! It's going to take forever!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Well we're just going to be patient. Trust me Naruto; it's going to be worth it!"

Naruto sighed, "You better be right! Or else, I'm going to make you clean my room for a week. Believe it!"

Fortunately for the two orphans, the whole ordeal only lasted for a thirty minutes before they arrived at the ticket booth. After handing their tickets, they were allowed to pass, prompting Kuwato to run into the entrance while dragging Naruto along with him.

The two simply followed the crowd in the corridor, assuming that it would lead to the where the seats would be located. On the walls of the corridor were several lit torches to bring some light into the dark tunnel, the flames dancing on the torches as if to entertain those who passed by in the tunnels.

As the pair followed the adults, the blonde could still hear the endless chatter. With Naruto's curiosity finally got the better of him, the blonde nudged his friend on the ribs.

"So… What are we actually watching?" Naruto whispered to his friend.

"The Ascending!" Kuwato answered, as if the answer was something to mean something.

"…And what is that?"

"You… You really don't pay much attention on what's happening in Konoha, do you?"

"Just tell me already!" Naruto ordered as the pair turned a corner in the corridor.

Kuwato laughed at this, "Alright, alright, I'll explain to you… The Ascending is a yearly event that Konoha holds at this stadium. Anyone in the army can participate but of course they don't because only the best of the best qualifies into the finals, which is today!"

Naruto nodded in understanding and Kuwato continued, "And the reason why everyone is excited about the Ascending is because most of the time, only the best of the Elemental Knights make it through! There are only a select few who become Elemental Knights and to actually get to see them in action for us civilians is great!"

Naruto shrugged and then asked, "So… What's an Elemental Knight?"

Kuwato stared at Naruto with eyes that said 'are-you-serious?' kind of look but Naruto merely stared back, expecting an answer. Kuwato face-palmed at this but then realized that it was not really surprising. Naruto held little interest in the affairs of Konoha, preferring to simply eat his Ramen at the orphanage and survive the next day.

"You seriously never heard of what an Elemental Knight is?" Kuwato said in disbelief, "I mean, I know you don't really care about a lot of things that's going on but… you must have at least heard what they are, right?"

"Nope," Naruto confirmed nonchalantly, "The only thing I care about is just getting out of the orphanage and living my life… But since I'm here and whatever going on here… this 'Ascending'…? Yeah, I'm going to need to know in detail what these Elemental Knights are."

By now the two boys had walked out of the corridors and entered the stands. A large number of people were already taking the nearest seats they could find, meaning the place was a free-seating. Naruto and Kuwato quickly searched for two free seats, which they found quickly enough.

"So what is an Elemental Knight?" Naruto asked as he sat down.

"The Elemental Knight is the elite forces of the Fire Empire's military force. However they are not just ordinary soldiers but they can manipulate the natural elements on their weapons, thus the name Elemental Knights. Of course not everyone can use the elements thus it is not just the skills needed to become an Elemental Knight but also the ability to use an element on your weapons." Kuwato explained.

"Wait, you mean they can use like, fire on their swords or something?"

Kuwato nodded, "That's an example I guess… There are altogether five elements I think… Lightning, fire, earth, water and air are the five elements that the Elemental Knights normally use."

"Whoa… Okay, now I think I know why everyone's so excited." Naruto muttered, looking at the stadium getting full with people.

Kuwato crossed his arms on his chest, "Still that doesn't mean only those who can manipulate the elements are allowed to become the Elemental Knights. Some who cannot manipulate any elements but are extremely skilled in their skills are allowed to be elected to become an Elemental Knight… Although to be frank, I find it's kind of stupid to be called an Elemental Knight when you don't control any natural element but that's just my opinion."

"There are some who can become an Elemental Knight without controlling an element?"

"Yeah," Kuwato answered, "However those are rare cases. Like one of them… his name is Maito Gai I believe… He's one of the best Lancers in the whole of Konoha and can't control any natural element. Another good example was the late Hokage, the 'Yellow Flash' of Konoha."

Now that was a familiar title that Naruto knew. The 'Yellow Flash' of Konoha was one of the most famed swordsmen but Naruto had no idea he was an Elemental Knight. He had died on one of the major battles between the Fire Empire and the Lightning Empire but only because he sacrificed himself so that his team could complete the mission.

The 'Yellow Flash' wielded dual blades as his weapon and was said that his weapons were made out of his gold and his speed along with his reflexes earned him the nickname of the Yellow Flash. He was the one man that Naruto paid attention to for reasons that Naruto could not understand. Still he had no idea the man was considered an Elemental Knight.

"So… The Elemental Knights will be participating in this Ascending… and then what?" Naruto questioned.

"This competition is all to show everyone who is the best. It is all about gaining reputation for yourself and with that, you will have a much easier life. It must be really great, huh?" Kuwato was in a dreamy state at this point.

"That's all they get?"

Kuwato shook his head, "Well no… Also the one who beats everyone will have the honor to face the strongest Elemental Knight of the Fire Empire; the Hokage. Whoever wins in that duel will become the new Hokage but I'm sure even you know that the Hokage have not changed hands for the past twenty years… Basically he is the 3rd Hokage of the Elemental Knights and has not changed hands in a long time."

"Is he that powerful?" Naruto asked in a curios tone.

"Well he's known as 'The Professor' because he knows every technique, stance, skill and weapons known in the world. He uses that knowledge to adept and attacks his opponent's weak spot. So even in his old age, that guy is still the most powerful Elemental Knight of the Fire Empire."

"He can manipulate an element as well?"

"Yeah… I think it's the fire element but I'm not sure. I also don't know what type of weapon he uses." Kuwato replied.

"And Elemental Knights… get an easy life…?"

"That's for sure…" Kuwato sighed, "Man, I wish I could become an Elemental Knight…"

Soon enough the crowd began cheering as the first two contestants entered the arena. On the left side, the man wielded what seemed to be a broadsword infused with lightning and his opponent, a woman with long black hair with red pupils wielding a shield and a mace, the mace surrounded in flames as well.

Naruto was enthralled at the sight, watching the two Elemental Knights battle it out. The crowd cheered loudly each time one of them almost defeated the other only for the opponent to counter. It was almost impossible to tell who was going to win. However the sight mesmerized Naruto, seeing such swift movements excited him.

"Alright… I made my decision!" Naruto said with a smirk.

"Huh?"

"I'm going to become an Elemental Knight! Believe it!"

***CHAPTER END***

**A/N: And this brings the end of the prologue chapter. So I hope I explained enough for you guys to grasp the concept but for those who dont...**

**Basically this is not the Ninja world we know. While Naruto does not have the Kyuubi in him, he will have the Kyuubi in another form that will grant him the unique status of being part of Kyuubi.**

**Now this is not the Ninja world so there are no wall-climbing, chakra, jutsu, shurikens and whatever related in the canon anime. Instead the normal 'ninjas' in this world are simply normal soldiers in the army while those who can manipulate the elements, the Elemental Knights, are of the elite forces like Kakashi, Gai etc etc...**

**I believe thats it for now. Tell me what you guys think of this idea for a story and whether you liked it or not. Any constructive criticism will be well appreciated. So leave a review and I'll see you guys in chapter 2. **


	2. Chasing The Dream

**A/N: Respond to reviewsss!**

**TheRazgrizDragon : Thanks for the support!**

**Guest : Honestly, I'm not sure what I want to do in terms of relationship wise since the next few chapters will concentrate solely on Naruto only.**

**Amber Ice Fox : Yes, I can imagine how you could come up with that picture in mind xD but thanks for the review and here comes the new chapter!**

CHAPTER 2: CHASING THE DREAM

Eight years had passed since Naruto first witnessed the 'Ascending' that was held at the Konoha stadium. Ever since then, Naruto had the desired dream to become an Elemental Knight for the Fire Empire and studied whatever he could on the Elemental Knights.

The blonde boy soon learnt that one needed to be at least 18 years old before they could register for the Elemental Knight examination, so Naruto tried to do whatever sort of training he could to improve himself for the next eight years. But of course his options were much more limited.

As an orphan, Naruto had no funds to enter the prestigious Military Academy in Konoha, so his knowledge of swordsmanship, tactics, strategy and other military knowledge was very little. So Naruto instead studied what he could in the Konoha library, which only helped him a little but it was the best he could ask for.

Later on, when Naruto and Kuwato were kicked out of the orphanage at the age of 15 (the age limit) and used up the money they saved to rent an apartment. A few days later, Naruto landed himself and Kuwato a job as assistants in a Ramen Restaurant (which so happened to be Naruto's favorite place and was also the number one customer). It wasn't much but it helped pay the bills and survive.

Now that Naruto was 18 years old, he could finally begin his journey to achieve his dream!

"Alright, I'm going to go register for the Elemental Knights examination," Naruto told his boss, Teuchi, "Wish me luck!"

"Hey Naruto, where do you think you're going?" Teuchi demanded from the kitchen, "Work isn't over for the next few hours!"

"Dad, he has the Elemental Knights exams today, remember?" Ayame, the daughter of Teuchi, reminded.

Teuchi seem to have calmed down for a second but was still furious; so he directed his anger to the other person, "Hey Kuwato! You better be working twice as hard now that Naruto's gone!"

"Ehhhh?! That's not fair!"

"Well too bad!" Teuchi responded, "Life's not fair and Naruto's gone for the day now! So, you're going to be working for two people in his stead instead."

Naruto chuckled as he ran out of the Ramen restaurant. Honestly, that Teuchi was such a hard-ass sometimes but Naruto knew that Teuchi was not going to follow through with that threat. Kuwato knew it as well and were just playing along.

Although Teuchi took the two of them to work for him, Teuchi saw them as sort of sons that he never had. He had always taken care of Naruto, feeding the boy and sometimes giving the boy free bowls of Ramen. Naruto normally insisted on paying but whenever Teuchi could, he would help the boy with whatever he could. So Kuwato and Naruto basically helped in the kitchen while Ayame handled the orders.

But of course, Naruto had the dream of becoming an Elemental Knight so Teuchi dreamed of having the restaurant inherited by Ayame. However women were normally seen as not suitable owners so Teuchi hoped Kuwato would marry his daughter, thus allowing the two to inherit the Ramen restaurant. Still, he was still strong despite his age so he could still run the place.

The registration for the Elemental Knights exam was held at the Military Academy, so that was Naruto's destination. Most of the graduates entered the academy at the age of 9, learning everything they needed and graduated at the age of 18; a nine-year course. There, whoever wanted to try to become an Elemental Knight was free to try and register for the exams. The others who had no such dreams were allowed to join the army of the Fire Empire.

A few minutes later, Naruto arrived before the Military Academy, the place he wanted to go to when he had the dream of becoming an Elemental Knight but could not do so.

The Military Academy was a big, red building that had three separate wings and covered at least four acres of land for each wing. The main building was where the administration offices were located; classrooms were located on the east wing. The east wing had a large number of classes, each of them to teach students strategy, weapons, tactics, stances and a large number of military theories. The west wing consisted of several weapon storages, two blacksmiths quarters and a large field that was divided into fifteen separate parts. Students could request for one of the training fields to be used as practice or to spar with others Basically the Military Academy of the Fire Empire was fitted with all the necessary requirements to train the best of the best soldiers and Elemental Knights of the Fire Empire.

Naruto took a deep breath of air into his lungs and whispered to himself, "Alright, this is it Naruto… Let's get this over with!"

Inside the Military academy, Naruto had to ask a couple of people as to where the registration was, with several others pointing him in the wrong direction. Finally, after several minutes, Naruto finally spotted a room with the sigh that said 'EK registration'. With a deep breath, Naruto knocked on the door and entered the small room.

"Erm… Is this the registration room for the Elemental Knights exam?" Naruto inquired.

Inside the small room was a table with a stack of papers on the side of the table. There was a man with purple hair that was medium-long, touching his shoulders. The man was well-built and wore the standard attire for a soldier of the Fire Empire; which consisted of a dark grey vest with a chain vest and black leggings.

"That's what the door says, right?" The man responded sarcastically.

"Alright!" Naruto entered the room and took a sheet of paper, which read 'Elemental Knight Registration form'. Naruto read the name-tag that was on the man's shirt and smiled, "Thanks, Mizuku!"

The man, Mizuki, narrowed his eyes in disgust, "That's Mizuki-SENSEI, brat!"

"Oh right, right…" Naruto read through the form then pointed at the paper, "I just write this all up, and I get to take the exams?"

Mizuki shrugged and Naruto took it as a yes, borrowing one of the pens he spotted on the table and began scribbling whatever the form requested to have filled. Meanwhile, Mizuki was wondering how come as a teacher of the Military Academy, he had never seen Naruto before. He had never seen the boy in a class, training or just passing by in the hallway.

After Naruto had apparently finished writing and handed it to Mizuki, the purple-haired soldier enthusiastically took it and quickly read what Naruto had written.

"Uzumaki… Naruto, huh…" Mizuki said, looking at the blonde, "You're not… related to Uzumaki Kushina, are you?"

"…Who?"

"Never mind," Mizuki shook his head, realizing the foolishness of it, "Anyway, I don't think I recall ever seeing you attending any of the classes. Who was your teacher? Who was in charge of your classes?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously, "Erm… I'm not a student here."

"…What…?"

"I'm not a student here," Naruto repeated, "I never attended the Military Academy because I couldn't afford it but I still want to become an Elemental Knight. It says that anyone can try to become one so I thought-"

Mizuki laughed at Naruto at this point, interrupting the boy, "Oh, you think you actually have a chance to become an Elemental Knight?! Oh, this must be one sick joke! I mean, if a has studied for the past nine years to become a soldier and only has about… 10 percent chance of becoming an Elemental Knight, what makes you think that you, a guy who has never learnt the basics, can become an Elemental Knight?!"

"It's been my dream ever since I saw them!" Naruto retorted, "I know I never attended the academy… I know that I'm probably the worst among the rest, but I still want a chance to prove myself! And I'm not going to give up until I get a chance! Believe it!"

Mizuki sighed, shaking his head, "Listen kid… I'm just going to be frank with you; I'm not going to submit this form. You aren't going to take the exams. You don't stand a chance. The exams are harsh; your life could even be in danger! So whatever you say, I'm not going to let you take the exams. Now get lost kid, go get a job or something. You don't suit the life of a soldier."

"Besides," Mizuki continued, "Look at you, you'd be a pathetic little fool trying to join the army. You look like the type of person who'd flee at the sight of the enemy! How did your parents even raise you?" Mizuki laughed.

Naruto however held his temper, "I'm an orphan…"

"Oh, that makes it even worse! Orphans like you bring nothing but trouble and you want to join the Elemental Knights so that you can get an easy life, right? You guys should just piss off!"

"I want my chance!" Naruto roared, slamming both fists on the table, "It's… been my dream for the past eight years! Don't judge me just because I'm not a student of this stupid place, alright?! Not everyone needs to learn stuff from the classroom to become something!"

Mizuki glared at Naruto who simply stared at him back, the two looking at each other in the eye as if in a staring contest. Naruto was not going to back down and Mizuki was honestly pissed that the boy showed no respect towards him as a soldier. These civilians sometimes needed to be taught the harsh reality.

Yes, Mizuki was going to give Naruto a harsh reminder that he was nothing more but a spoiled, good-for nothing, civilian so he was going to make sure Naruto remembered that.

"Alright, you want to take the test? I'll give you one." Mizuki said, waiting for Naruto to take the bait; which he did all too easily.

"Alright!"

"Heh, you got determination kid, I'll give you that," Mizuki said with a grin, "Now, what you need to do is simple. You just need to challenge a guy known as the 'White Fang Uchiha' and if you beat him, you can become an Elemental Knight."

Naruto blinked a couple of times, "Eh… I've heard of that name… Err… isn't he some sort of hero of Konoha?"

"Well hero's a little too much, but he is one of the strongest Elemental Knights in the Fire Empire. So, if you can beat him in a little spar, I'll recommend to the higher-ups to actually make you an Elemental Knight."

"Do you even have that authority?"

Mizuki scoffed, "Hey, they chose me to be in charge of the registration forms, didn't they? That means they trust my… instinct. But, if you're scared, well…"

"I never said I'm scared!" Naruto interjected, "I just need to make sure, and that's all!"

Mizuki smirked at Naruto, the blonde not willing to step down. This was what Mizuki wanted so with the wicked plan already laid out, Mizuki decided to go through with it.

"So, where do I find this guy?" Naruto asked.

"Well, he's normally found on one of the many rooftops of Konoha. But, if you're lucky, he should be out shopping for one of his favorite books, so I'd suggest the bookstore just nearby here actually." Mizuki answered.

"Err… And what does he look like?"

"He sports the usual Elemental Knight uniform; the standard dark purple outfit with a shoulder pad on the left. He has white hair and he covers his left eye due to an injury."

Naruto gave a thumb up, "Alright, just you watch… I'm gonna find this guy and beat him to a pulp! Then, you'll let me join the Elemental Knights, right?"

Mizuki nodded and Naruto quickly ran out of the room, leaving the purple-haired soldier chuckling as to what was about to happen. Finally, he decided he simply needed to witness the spectacle and walked out of the room, placing a sign that wrote 'out for lunch', even though lunch hours had passed.

***Bookstore***

Hatake Kakashi was grinning under his mask like a little schoolgirl, taking the book he wanted from the shelf and moving to the counter. He was an adult, so he was not ashamed about buying such books. Besides, he was single, so he needed some sort of 'stress reliever' and there was no way he was going to let those eyeing him change his mind.

However, some of his friends said that if he just took off his mask, he would find that a large number of girls would go after him. That was what he was afraid of; he never liked those annoying fan-girls so he had been successfully avoiding them for a long time this way. It was much more convenient this way.

Kakashi paid no attention to a blonde boy staring at him outside the window, handing the cashier the cash needed to buy the book. After his prized, erotic book was put in a plastic bag, Kakashi thanked the cashier and walked out of the shop, and then the boy approached him.

"Are you 'White Fang Uchiha'?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi raised his lazy in surprise, "Hm? I don't really prefer to be referred to with that name in Konoha but…. Yes, I am."

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement, "I need to fight you."

"…Excuse me?"

"I need to fight you!" Naruto emphasized, "That way, I can become an Elemental Knight!"

"Become an Elemental Knight?" Kakashi sputtered in confusion, "Kid, what are you talking about?"

"The guy in charge of registering me for the Elemental Knights exam said I need to beat you, and then he'll let me pass!" Naruto explained, going into a fighting stance, "So, let's go!"

"Huh…? Since when did they have exams like that?"

"Just hurry up and fight me! I need to pass this exam!"

Kakashi sighed, losing interest in the conversation, "Listen kid, I don't have time for this… I want to get back home and read my book, alright? Maybe some other time."

"Come on, I just need one chance to beat you!" Naruto said, trying to grab Kakashi's arm to catch his attention.

However, that was Naruto's mistake. No one touched Kakashi's prized possession and in retaliation, Kakashi stepped back and delivered a fist at Naruto's gut, throwing all the air out of Naruto's lungs. Naruto gasped in pain, dropping to his knees and clutching his stomach.

Kakashi used half of his strength in that punch but it would have been more than enough to knock out a cadet. Honestly, Kakashi had better things to do than to entertain some brat about becoming an Elemental Knight. For now, he wanted to read his book and the boy was just wasting his time, walking away.

"W-wait… I… I'm not… done… yet…" Naruto grunted.

Kakashi was one of the most powerful Elemental Knights and he was rarely taken by surprise; however Kakashi shocked at this point, turning back to see Naruto slowly getting back to his feet, wheezing for air but still conscious.

'Impossible,' Kakashi thought, 'That blow should have knocked him out…'

Naruto shook his head, a set of determined eyes staring at Kakashi, "It's… not over until… I… beat you…"

"You've got passion kid, I'll give you that," Kakashi praised, placing his prized book on the ground, "So I'll spar with you right here, right now… But before I beat you, tell me your name…"

"U…Uzumaki… Nar…Naruto…" Naruto replied, still finding it difficult to breath.

"Naruto, eh…?" Kakashi nodded, "If you're serious that you need to beat me to become an Elemental Knight… then I'll fight you… But I'm not going to give you any chance."

Naruto nodded and Kakashi got into his own stance, clenching his fists, "So… you're ready?"

Naruto gave another nod but that was it. Kakashi had dashed instantly in front of Naruto, delivering a punch straight into Naruto's face, breaking his nose. Naruto grunted in pain but ignored the pain, throwing a random punch which Kakashi easily dodged. The 'White Fang' allowed Naruto to attack but Naruto's attacks were too easy to read, not even making any effort to avoid the blows.

Naruto's vision was getting blur with each strike he threw, the two attacks from Kakashi earlier already too much on the young blonde. He already could not concentrate on the fight but he was doing so on pure determination.

A small crowd had gathered around the two at this point, some of them from the bookstore earlier when they noticed the boy challenging Kakashi. Kakashi's reputation as the 'White Fang Uchiha' was well-known by many, so to see some unknown guy challenging him was a rare sight to behold. But, they were already getting disappointed by the blonde's poor fighting skills.

'This kid's bad,' Kakashi thought, 'His attacks show neither pattern nor any sort of training. He is just randomly throwing punches left and right. But, he should have already lost from the two blows I gave him earlier but still standing up only from determination… That's something honorable to have but…'

Kakashi dodged a punch and then charged his right fist, gathering a small amount of Lightning into his fist and then delivered an upper-cut on Naruto's chin, throwing the boy into the air. The blow added with Lightning affinity was going to be more than enough to deal with Naruto.

"…But it's not enough to let you become an Elemental Knight!" Kakashi said, finishing his thought.

Naruto landed hard on the ground after being taken off his feet six feet into the air. Naruto groaned in pain, blood pouring out of his broken nose and from the corner of his lips. However, Kakashi was once more surprised that Naruto was still awake, trying to get up but his body could not handle what his heart desired.

Kakashi walked to the boy, kneeling down and patting the boy's face, "Listen kid… You've got the will; I'll give you that… But that's not going to be enough to let you become one of us, alright?"

"I… I still… can…" Naruto struggled, coughing out blood.

"No Naruto, you can't," Kakashi said forcefully, "I'll be frank Naruto… You have no talent to become an Elemental Knight. Your fighting stance was poor, you probably never had proper training, am I right?"

Naruto's silence gave Kakashi the answer, "So that means you were never part of the Military Academy… Even so, even with training, I doubt you'd have the necessary skills to join the Elemental Knights… I'm sorry kid, but the most you can do is join the regular army. You cannot join the Elemental Knights; not with that poor amount of skill."

"No…" Naruto protested, blood still flowing from his broken nose, "I… I've dreamt… of becoming an Elemental Knight… I…"

"Reality is cruel Naruto," Kakashi said gently, "You might think becoming an Elemental Knight is just living the life… People adore you, people respect you… but you pay a big price for that. I've lost a lot of my friends, my loved ones and I will probably lose others as well in my life…"

Kakashi stood up, staring down at Naruto, "You see these people here?" Kakashi gestured and Naruto looked around him, the people still watching them, "Can you swear upon your life that you can protect them? No, don't answer that. I know you can, I've already seen that. But, with your skills, you're just going to be throwing your life for no reason. You're too weak, Naruto."

"So I'll tell you one last time Naruto; give up your dream."

With that, Kakashi gave one last nod to Naruto and walked away, picking up his book that he left on the side of the road earlier. The people all watching the fight soon dispersed, whispering with one another. Naruto was still on the ground, clutching his bloody nose and slowly getting back to his feet.

Naruto was angered; not at the words that Kakashi had thrown at him, but at the fact that he was so weak. He cursed his luck but was removed from his misery when he was suddenly shoved to the ground, Naruto landing hard on his back.

"Argh! What's the big idea?!" Naruto demanded, clutching his nose.

"Hehe, so Naruto… A deal's a deal, right?" Mizuki taunted.

"Mizuki!"

"You lost, fair and square… So, that means I don't have to 'recommend' you to become an Elemental Knight! Then again, I never had a doubt that you could beat the 'White Fang Uchiha' anyway…"

Naruto growled, clenching his teeth in anger, "You…!"

"You don't have what it takes to be an Elemental Knight kid," Mizuki stated, "You're just nothing but a stupid, little orphan that doesn't know his place! Well, I hope that the beating you got will be a grim reminder to you; that you will never amount to anything in this world!"

Naruto had enough and lunged towards Mizuki but the purple-haired soldier had more experience, reacting fast and kicking Naruto in the gut, throwing Naruto backwards and coughing out more blood. Naruto groaned in pain, his teeth stained in red from the blood.

"Just stay away from the military life kid," Mizuki advised, "I'm telling you this for your own good…"

Then, Mizuki spat on the ground and walked away, leaving the blonde orphan on the dirty ground. Naruto however, was shaking his head, glaring at the back of Mizuki. This was just the beginning of his journey and all journeys had their bad starts. Yes, Naruto was simply more determined now.

"There's no way in hell I'm giving up!" Naruto said, "Not by a long shot… I'm going to become an Elemental Knight! Because I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Believe it!"

***CHAPTER END***


	3. Hope

**A/N: I bring you guys the new chapter to this story! I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter! Now, to respond to reviewers.**

**TheRazgrizDragon: Sorry you didnt like what I wrote last chapter, but its necessary for it in the story.**

**XSTEELCOBRAX: Not sure yet in the pairing department...  
**

**Swordmaster Eyolf: The Kyuubi's role in this story will be mentioned here as a hint  
**

**Lucio BetaBlake: Thanks!**

**That's it for reviews. I'm happy I got a large number of favorites and follows though, but I'd like reviews as well. But anyway, enjoy!**

CHAPTER 3: HOPE

"Three pork Ramen guys, on the double!" Teuchi barked when he entered the kitchen.

Kuwato responded enthusiastically, "On it!"

Naruto merely obeyed the old man's orders, grabbing some of the flour and preparing to create the most important part of Ramen, the noodles. Teuchi was in charge of setting up the ingredients while Kuwato was given the role to prepare the broth.

Naruto still had a couple of bandages wrapped on his face from the beating he received from Kakashi two days ago. Although the 'White Fang Uchiha' fought him seriously, Kakashi had not even used half of his strength or skills. It simply showed the big gap difference between a commoner who had no Military training to one of the most renowned Elemental Knight of the Fire Empire.

It was lunch hour now, so it was a period when the Ramen restaurant would be the busiest. Naruto and Kuwato had been working non-stop for the past hour, receiving orders after orders on a Ramen meal. Ayame was busy as well, having to cater to each of the patrons, writing down their orders and then moving quickly to the next.

"You okay, Naruto?" Kuwato asked, referring to Naruto's bandages.

Naruto returned a grin, "Don't worry about me, Kuwato. The only thing that's been hurt is my pride! I'm not giving up yet though; I'm going to become an Elemental Knight, believe it!"

"Well, I'm just glad you're not hurt… Well, not hurt too badly anyway."

"Alright, alright… Let's just focus on making our Ramen." Naruto reminded, concentrating on the noodles, "Or else, the old man's going to murder us."

"I can hear you, you know?" Teuchi remarked, causing all three to share a small laugh shared among them.

After preparing for another thirty or so Ramens, the storm finally passed and lunch hour was basically over. After making sure the kitchen was clean enough, the two young boys went out of the kitchen and lounged around the dining area, taking a much needed break.

Naruto sighed in relief, "Man, that old man Teuchi should really hire another helping hand in the kitchen. It's almost impossible to keep up with the demand here."

"Not so loud!" Kuwato said, hushing the blonde, "You know he don't like it when you call him 'old man'."

Naruto chuckled, giving a nudge on his friend, "Aw man, you need to lighten up! We've been working our ass off for the last three years with him, he won't mind. Besides, I've been calling him 'old man' for as long as I remember! It's normal for him now."

"I know, but-"

"It's alright Kuwato," Teuchi said, making his appearance from the kitchen, "Although I'm strict, the two of you are almost like my own family now. I've known Naruto ever since he started coming here since he was 7 years old, ordering Ramen almost every day. I'm used to him calling me an 'old man'."

"Seriously though, you really should hire someone else," Naruto stated, "I mean, we're just dying in the kitchen at rush hour."

"Tch, you young kids are so goddamned lazy! I managed the place all on my own and look how far I got in my life! You need to work hard if you want to reach somewhere in life!" Teuchi scolded.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "You only had a Ramen stall at the time, it wasn't thaaaat bad!"

"Fine, fine… I'll think about hiring a help or two, but until then, you guys still need to give your best, understand?!"

Kuwato and Naruto merely gave a nod and the discussion ended there. Teuchi and Ayame were conversing with each other and Kuwato got up from the seat and returned to the kitchen, probably to check on the broth or something. Naruto sighed and lay down on the table, trying to grab a quick nap.

However, Naruto's nap was short lived when he heard the chinking sound of the doorbell, the restaurant's door opening. Naruto sighed and quickly got up from his seat and prepare to return to the kitchen.

There were altogether at least eight people entering the restaurant, all of them young; around Naruto's age. They were all chatting amongst themselves, happy smiles on their faces. There were all together about six guys with three females, all of the three young women beautiful in their own way.

They all picked a table and continued talking, the empty restaurant becoming lively once more. Naruto thought nothing of them and headed into the kitchen when his ears picked up an interesting line.

"…Man," One of the guy, a chubby man said in an excited tone, "I can't wait until we take the Elemental Knight examinations. I can't believe all of you are in it as well!"

"Calm down Chouji," Another replied, shaking his head lazily, "You always speak loudly. Just talk normally, we all can hear you."

The overweight guy, known as Chouji, merely laughed it off, but Naruto had already heard what he needed to hear.

'Whoa, these guys are taking the Elemental Knight exams?' Naruto thought, amazed, 'Damn… I need to talk with them.'

At the same time, Ayame also realized she had a job to do and was making her way to take the orders of the customers. Naruto quickly stopped her, actually almost running over the girl, causing the girl to yelp in surprise.

"Naruto-"

"I'll take their orders!" Naruto exclaimed, "Ayame-chan, you… err… You can go and help Kuwato and the old man in the kitchen!"

"Naruto… What are you planning this time?" Ayame questioned, "You are the one who should be in the kitchen!"

"Please, please, pleaseeeee? I… Those guys are… They are like from the Military Academy and I really want to ask them some questions!"

"You're not supposed to bother the customers!" Ayame chastised but Naruto was adamant.

"Oh, come on, pleaseee…? I'll… I'll wash the dishes for a week, alright? How's that?" Naruto bargained, knowing the deal was too sweet for Ayame to back down.

Ayame knew better than to submit to Naruto's wishes, but Naruto was rarely this desperate. Also, those guys were related somehow to Naruto's dream and while he probably learnt his lesson from the brutal beating he got, it was still his dream. And she wanted to support him in any way she could.

Finally, against her better judgment, Ayame relented, "Alright, fine… Now get going, they've been waiting for a minute now. Go!"

Naruto cheered and quickly grabbed a pen and paper and went to the tables that the eight graduates were at. Ayame shook her head and entered the kitchen to help out. The eightcustomers had grouped up two tables into one so that it was more convenient for them.

"Tsch, took you long enough…" A raven dark-haired boy remarked without looking up from the menu.

Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry for the delay. So, what will you guys have?"

Each one of them gave out their respective orders with Naruto scribbling them down on the small piece of paper. The guy known as Chouji, he ordered at least five bowls for himself, impressing Naruto who could also chow down the same amount of Ramen. Naruto gave a bow and then entered the kitchen, handing the order to Ayame and he returned to the dining area.

Now, Naruto got a proper look at each one of them. The guy known as Chouji, had orange hair and despite looking overweight, was built like an ox. Out of everyone, he was the most buff among them, with muscles on his arms and packing through his clothes.

Next to Chouji was a guy with a spiky-pony tail, and from how he conversed with Chouji, Naruto guessed that the two were close friends as well. However, Naruto did not know why, but the spiky-pony tail guy seemed to have little interest in being here, sporting a bored expression on his face.

Then there was a boy with brown hair speaking with his partner, a guy with black spiky and wearing shades. The boy was quite loud as well and had an aura of being a bit on the 'wild' side whereas the black haired boy was much more calm and well-mannered.

And finally there was the raven-haired boy. Naruto had to admit, the boy was viciously good-looking with an attitude of being cool, although Naruto felt it was more towards arrogance. For now, Naruto decided to listen in before he introduced himself.

"Man, what a bother!" The spiky brown haired boy grumbled, "I thought I'd finally be free from you guys but then, you guys are also taking the Elemental Knights exam! It's like you guys are trying to follow me to the end."

"Don't be so full of yourself, Kiba," The calm, black-haired boy remarked, "You know we all were going to be taking part of the exams."

The brown-haired boy, Kiba sighed, "I'm just making a joke, Shino… Seriously, you take things too seriously sometimes!"

"Ki-Kiba-kun… Shino-kun… le-let's not… g-get into another argument, please…We're in pu-public, after all…" The raven-haired girl pleaded.

'Wow, she's a beauty all right!' Naruto thought in his mind, watching the girl.

The raven-haired girl was definitely a beautiful girl, possessing white eyes and a very generous bust size. As a matter of fact, Naruto realized that the girl's chest was the biggest among the three girls present. She had a feeling of elegance on her and from her manner of speech, gentleness as well.

"Typical," The raven boy said with a smirk, "You need a girl to keep you guys in line… Tsch, have some self-respect."

Kiba growled, "Why you…!"

"Man, this is so troublesome…" The pony-tailed boy sighed.

The group shared another laugh, although Kiba was still visibly pissed at the raven boy. Naruto also did not like the guy, just from looking at him. Naruto continued watching them, and his sights soon landed on the two remaining females of the group.

The pink haired girl was pretty in her own right, and although she had less in the chest department, Naruto recalled that she had a very attractive figure with long, slender legs. Her green, emerald eyes were also another part of her attractive traits and Naruto would definitely consider her as a 'top ten' kind of girl.

And the last among them, was a girl with very long blonde hair with blue eyes, exactly like Naruto, but her hair was much lighter in color than Naruto's. She tied it into a pony-tail but it seems that the length of her hair reached down to her waist. She had a moderate build, with a nice waist-to-hip ratio. All in all, the three girls were definitely attractive.

The sound of 'ding' echoed from the kitchen and Naruto rushed into the back, seeing some of the Ramen were ready. Naruto picked up a tray and placed four of the bowls on it and then delivered the hot, steaming bowls to them.

"Hey, thanks man!" Kiba said, picking up his chopsticks and quickly shoving down noodles down his throat.

"So…" Naruto began, "You guys are all graduates from the Military Academy, right?"

Chouji nodded with a smile, "Yeah, we are… Wait; are you also from the Academy? I don't remember seeing you there."

By then, everyone was looking at Naruto. The blonde chuckled nervously, "No, no… I never attended the Academy actually, although I wanted to… But, I… Well, I just couldn't at the time…"

"So, is there a reason why you wanted to speak with us?" The pink haired girl asked.

"Well… I heard that… that you guys are all going to take the Elemental Knight exam…?"

Everyone was now at full attention, glaring at Naruto. The glare was not really threatening, but more of a question; as if to see whether Naruto was joking or not. Naruto remained silent, not knowing what else to say when he heard another 'ding' coming from the kitchen. Naruto excused himself and headed for the kitchen to grab the other meals.

Naruto delivered the respective Ramen meals to each of their orders. Then, the blonde girl spoke, "So why do you want to know if we are taking the Elemental Knight exam?"

"Erm… I… I also want to take the exams." Naruto replied.

All of them stared at Naruto. Kiba raised his eyebrow, as if saying 'are you joking?' and pink haired girl along with the blonde haired girl snickered at the remark. Naruto was now growing flustered and also angered from their disrespect.

"What's your name? I'm Nara Shikamaru." The pony-tailed boy said, introducing himself.

"I'm Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto…"

Once again, the group had looks of surprise and Shikamaru gave a nod, "Naruto… Uzumaki… Naruto, eh…?"

Naruto saw the look of interest from everyone, especially Shikamaru. It was almost the same kind of look Mizuki gave him when Naruto mentioned his name.

"So, let me get this straight Naruto," Shikamaru said, "You say you also want to take the Elemental Knights exam?"

Naruto nodded so Shikamaru continued, "And you've never attended the Military Academy of Konoha?" Another nod from Naruto, "Naruto… Why do you want to become an Elemental Knight?"

"It… It's been my dream! I saw the 'Ascending' when I was a kid and I just… Well, I want to try and make something for myself." Naruto answered.

"Naruto," Shikamaru said softly, "You know the odds are heavily against you, right? The Elemental Knights are the elite forces of Konoha, and only very few can actually make it in. Even those who have trained and studied in the Military Academy have an 85% chance of failing the exams. Besides, normally you need to be able to call out an Element to have a better chance to enter the Elemental Knight ranks. Only a few who cannot use an Element but still enter the Elemental Knights is Maito Gai… and Rock Lee. Can you use an Element, Naruto?"

Naruto swallowed nervously and shook his head, "I don't know, I mean… I never really tried and…"

"Pfft, just let him try the exams, Shikamaru," The raven-haired boy declared with a smirk, "Then he'll understand why a commoner can't enter the exams!"

Everyone turned to the raven-haired boy, who just shrugged his shoulders, "He obviously thinks this whole thing is just a game. Well, once he learns the hard way, he'll give up his so-called 'dream' and just continue to be a Ramen worker."

"Sasuske!" Chouji growled in anger, "Don't you treat people with respect?! Naruto has feelings as well, and it's his dream! Let him try until he can someday achieve it!"

Sasuke glared at Chouji, an arrogant look in his eyes, "I guess losers will always try and help one another. That's the only way you guys can try and become like us elites."

Before Chouji could do or say anything, Sasuke got up from his seat then without even touching the Ramen, walked out of the restaurant. Naruto kept his temper in check; the arrogance was one thing but the lack of respect Sasuke threw was simply too much. Without even missing a beat, both girls got up from seat as well, chasing after Sasuke

"Sasuke-kun!" The pink and blonde girl called after, running out of the restaurant.

"That asshole!" Chouji hissed in anger, "Just because he's the best... He thinks he can just spit on another person's dream?! Damn him! Damn him to hell!"

"Calm down Chouji," Shikamaru said, "That's just how he is and we can't do anything about it. You remember what he did to you when you threw your tongue at him like that. It's good enough he's not doing it again."

Everyone then ate in silence, the cheerfulness from earlier gone. Naruto felt but about this, but Chouji gave a smile of encouragement but said nothing else. Naruto returned the smile, but he was feeling rotten to the core now.

After the group finished their meal and paid for them, they left. Only Chouji and Shikamaru remained for a moment.

"Listen," Naruto started, "I know you guys are going to try and stop me but I'm not going to change my mind. I failed the exams once but I'm going to try again."

Shikamaru looked confused now, "What? You took the exams before? That's impossible; you are only allowed to take the exams once. Also, the exams are starting next week so you couldn't have taken the exams!"

Naruto blinked a couple of times, "Wait, what? I thought the exam was to challenge the 'White Fang Uchiha' and try to beat him? That's the exam, right?"

Shikamaru and Chouji looked at one another, and then at Naruto. And then, the two of them started laughing, leaving the blonde boy even more confused than ever. Soon, the two boys were slowly recovering from their laughter, wiping tears away from the eyes.

"Wait, you're telling me that you actually fought the 'White Fang Uchiha' thinking that if you can beat him, you become an Elemental Knight?" Chouji remarked.

"Well, that Mizuki guy told me-"

"Well, he's wrong," Shikamaru interjected, "Mizuki-sensei… I know him; he's always been an asshole to us. Not a lot of us like him, and I'll bring this matter up with the higher-ups."

"So… So, that wasn't the exam?" Naruto demanded, shaking with anticipation.

"No, it's not," Shikamaru responded, "The exams comprise of a couple of challenges that we have to complete. We're not sure as well, but definitely not fighting the 'White Fang Uchiha'. In any case, I'll help you register for the exams, Naruto."

"You can do that?"

"Of course I can," Shikamaru said with a smirk, "I'm from the famed Nara clan and Chouji of the Akimichi. Our parents are Elemental Knights, and so they have some influence in the Fire Empire… Of course, that doesn't mean we're bad… We trained hard for this and we're going to pass the exam as well!"

Naruto was too excited at this point, finally realizing that his dream could still be possible. He could not wait to tell Kuwato, old man Teuchi and Ayame about the news. They were still busy cleaning up in the kitchen so Naruto did not have a chance to speak with them.

"But Naruto, are you sure you want to take the Elemental Knights exam? Once you take it, you'll be putting your life on the line. Especially for you, since you have no Military training at all." Shikamaru warned.

"And the only reason we're helping you is because you say it's your dream," Chouji added in, "My father always told me to help others achieve their dream and the way you expressed your dream… I just knew you were serious in it. But, are you sure this is the path you wish to take?"

Naruto said nothing, just staring at the two Military graduates for a couple of seconds. He remembered when he first saw the Elemental Knights participating in the 'Ascending' and how he gained the dream of wanting to becoming like what he saw. His dream had never changed, and nothing was going to stop him from trying to get what he wanted.

"I'm going to become an Elemental Knight," Naruto said, "So, I'm going to ace this exam! Believe it!"

Chouji and Shikamaru gave a nod of encouragement, and with a smile to their new friend, promised Naruto that they would register Naruto for the exams. Naruto returned back to the kitchen while Chouji and Shikamaru left the Ramen restaurant.

"Hey Shikamaru," Chouji called out, "Why did you want to help him so much? I mean, I'm glad you did because I wanted to help him as well but… I thought you might think of this as too troublesome?"

"I know Chouji," Shikamaru replied, "But… When he told me his name, I feel that he just might have the potential to become an Elemental Knight."

Chouji cocked his head to the side in confusion, "His name…?"

"Doesn't Uzumaki ring a bell?"

Chouji thought for a moment, then he struck gold, "You mean… Uzumaki Kushina-sama? You think he might have some relations to her?"

"I don't know really," Shikamaru said, shaking his head, "But, if he is, it just might bring Konoha an edge in this war. After all, Kushina-sama was one of the wielders of the Nine Legendary Weapons; the Sword of Kyuubi… If Naruto can also use that sword, he'll be the Hero that Konoha has been waiting for."

"I see…" Chouji nodded in understanding now, "So that's why you want him to become an Elemental Knight."

Shikamaru nodded, "It's just a wild toss in the ocean, but who knows? His name is an Uzumaki... If he can hold the Sword of Kyuubi, just like Kushina-sama... Heh."

Shikamaru merely smiled as he rushed to the Military Academy to help the registration of Uzumaki Naruto for the Elemental Knight examinations.

***CHAPTER END***

**A/N: And thus, the role of the Kyuubi is given out in this story. Yes, the Kyuubi is a weapon, a legendary weapon out of nine. I hope you guys will review, follow and favorite this story as I go on. Thanks!**


	4. The Trial Begins, Arc 1

**A/N: Hey guys, I apologize for the late update in to this story. This will introduce the first, short arc of this story and Naruto will finally begin the exams!**

**One short note I'd like to point out is that Sarutobi, the Hokage, does not share a close relationship like in the canon manga. This is AU, and here the Hokage never met Naruto. He still shares the personality of loving the people of Konoha, but he holds no special care for Naruto.**

**Now, onto for respond to reviewers**

**TheRazgrizDragon : Oh, I get it. Thanks for clearing that up. I understand what you mean, I hated writing how it happened but it had to. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter**

**fan: Thanks for the critical feedback mate, I'll try to improve more**

**tastetherainbow17 : hahaha, thanks for your enthusiasm! I hope I'll try to bring much more originality into this setting**

**Lucio BetaBlake: Me gusta indeed mate~ cheers**

**Guest: I'm probably going for a NaruHarem mate**

**That brings an end to reviews! I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter, so please follow, favorite and/or drop a review to express your opinion :)**

CHAPTER 4: THE TRIAL BEGINS

ARC: ELEMENTAL KNIGHTS EXAM

A week had passed since Shikamaru and Chouji helped to register Naruto to partake in the Elemental Knights examination. Finally, the day had finally come and the day for the Elemental Knights exam was today!

Naruto was already up and early, excited and also nervous at the same time. Teuchi honestly preferred Naruto gave up his dream, not just because he wanted Naruto to help him in running the restaurant but because Teuchi cared for the boy; he did not want Naruto to foolishly throw his life in the army, but he was willing to respect the boy's wishes.

Naruto was busy in the kitchen, preparing the broth and doing whatever he could before he left for the exams. This was the day he had been waiting for all his life, ever since he decided on his dream on becoming an Elemental Knight after witnessing the 'Ascending' eight years ago. Today was that day.

"I see you're up earlier than usual…" A voice spoke from the kitchen doorway.

Naruto grinned, not needing to even face the person to recognize the voice, "Well, I need to head out early… I want to make sure I've got everything I need."

Kuwato shook his head, "So, there's nothing we can say to change your mind...?" When Naruto merely shook his head, Kuwato added, "Even if it might break your face like when the 'White Fang Uchiha' did a week ago?"

"Hey, that was not part of the exams! That bastard Mizuki tricked me, so that doesn't count!" Naruto retorted.

"It still doesn't change the fact that you got beaten by a legendary Elemental Knight. I can't believe you didn't know who he was. Almost everyone, even outside of the Fire Empire, knows of Hatake Kakashi, the great 'White Fang Uchiha' of the Fire Empire."

"Ugh, whatever! Just you wait though, when I'm an Elemental Knight, I'll show that one-eyed guy who's the better one!"

Kuwato laughed heartily and approached the kitchen counter, gathering some flour to prepare the noodles. Naruto finished the final touches on the broth, made sure the taste was exquisite and then departed. As Naruto passed Kuwato, his childhood friend stopped him, grabbing Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto… Good luck in the exams, alright? Make sure you pass it, alright?" Kuwato expressed thoughtfully.

Naruto blinked once and then gave a confident grin with a thumb up before he ran out of the kitchen. Teuchi and Ayame were probably on the way to open the restaurant and Naruto was hoping to not run into them; at least now yet. He wanted to pass the exams first, at least then he could proudly tell Teuchi that he passed.

Naruto's destination was the Hokage's Tower, and as the name suggests, the building was where the Hokage resides. However, it holds other functions such as administration, council meetings and several other departments responsible for the running of the Fire Empire. Basically, the Hokage Tower was an important structure and was located in the heart of Konoha, in the center of the capital.

The Hokage Tower was a large building decorated red in color and was shaped as a circle. The building consisted of at least five stories, with the ground floor up to the fourth floor belonging to the administration. On the top floor was the Hokage's office and his residence, with several rooms reserved for meeting rooms.

Since the Elemental Knights were the most powerful and prestigious unit of the Fire Empire, candidates were told to report at the Hokage Tower instead of the Military Academy. Shikamaru and Chouji had told Naruto that they would be meeting with Naruto at the entrance of the Hokage Tower before they proceeded, to make sure Naruto knew where to go.

'I wonder why they're so nice,' Naruto pondered, 'Not that I'm complaining, but they're actually going out of their way just to help some guy… Heh, well whatever, I'll show them… especially that cocky duck-haired bastard!'

A couple of minutes later, Naruto finally arrived before the Hokage Tower. In all his life, Naruto had never really been to the Hokage Tower. There was basically on need for him venture into the Hokage Tower as it had nothing to do with him, him being an orphan. Naruto knew that Teuchi sometimes went there though, something to do with reporting the restaurant's annual goings to the department of development.

"Yo Naruto! Over here!" A voice called out.

Naruto found Shikamaru waving at him at the entrance alongside Chouji, "Hey guys!"

As Naruto approached the duo, Naruto realized they were not alone. Among them were the familiar faces of the ones that had dined at the Ramen restaurant, including the raven-haired guy. If Naruto remembered right, the guy's name was Sasuke and the guy had the two girls again; the pink-haired girl along with the blonde. Both were stunning and beautiful in their own right and for a moment, Naruto was jealous but he quickly got over it.

"You're ready for this Naruto?" Chouji asked with a warm smile, "You can back out if you want to."

"Are you kidding? This has been my dream! Nothing's going to stop me from becoming an Elemental Knight, believe it!"

"Hmph, I see I was right… losers will always try to help another loser to drag each other down." The raven-haired boy mocked.

Naruto glared at the boy, the black-haired boy's eyes filled with arrogance. In all of Naruto's life, he had never thought he would meet another person with such an attitude. The world truly was a huge place, with many people with different personalities.

Sensing that Naruto was upset, Chouji stepped in, "Sasuke, just keep your words to yourself, alright?"

Sasuke merely scoffed at the remark by the Akimichi, but said nothing more. Chouji sighed and then turned to Naruto, "Anyway, we're all friends from the Military Academy. Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Chouji, we don't have time for introductions right now. We need to get going." Shikamaru reminded.

"Oh alright, I'll just tell Naruto their names at least." Shikamaru sighed but said nothing, signifying that it was okay. Chouji pointed to the boy sporting a sort of fur coat with red markings on his cheek, "That guy over there's Inuzuka Kiba from the famed Inuzuka clan. I'm sure you know, the Inuzuka family is one of the best riders of the Fire Empire; and in the world. It's thanks to them that the cavalry forces of Konoha are one of the best."

Naruto nodded, watching Kiba conversing with a guy wearing sunglasses. Chouji continued, "Ah, the guy next to him is Aburame Shino. Oh, don't mind him if you think he's… being a little anti-social. He's just a little… well; he's just how he is. And yes, he's from the Aburame clan, specialized in infiltration and scouting of Konoha's military."

Aburame Shino indeed looked a little weird in Naruto's eyes. The boy was tall and wore a sea-green jacket and a high upturned collar, hiding his lips from view. The boy had his hands in his pockets as he conversed with Kiba with what looked like a serious expression, although Kiba was speaking in a jovial manner.

"The girl next to those two is Hyuuga Hinata," Chouji explained, "She's quite a shy girl despite coming from such a prestigious clan but she's really nice though once you get her to come out of her shell. Also, you shouldn't underestimate her, she's really smart and from some of the small spars we had during the Academy days, she's good in combat as well. Well, she is from the Hyuuga clan after all, which specializes in all forms of hand-to-hand combat."

Naruto did not need Chouji to point it out; Hinata was indeed a beautiful girl. Her long, silky hair and her white eyes were what drew Naruto to her. Then, as a guy, Naruto of course noticed that Hinata was extremely gifted in the chest region, adding much more to her appeal. Even more, Naruto noticed that Hinata was staring back at him and when she noticed it, she immediately looked away, blushing madly like a tomato.

'Huh, she's really shy…' Naruto thought to himself.

"As for the blonde girl, she's Yamanaka Ino and… as you can see, she's one of the many 'fan-girls' of Sasuke… If she wasn't a childhood friend, I'd have a much different opinion of her." Chouji remarked, shaking his head at Ino's actions in trying to win Sasuke's attention.

Naruto pointed to the other girl, "And who's that?"

"That girl's Haruno Sakura, another of Sasuke's 'fan-girl'. But, she's one of the smartest girls in class though. While she lacks in physical power, she makes up with it with her brains and is one of the best in tactics and strategy. If it comes down to it, she's the only one that can probably rival Shikamaru."

Shikamaru shrugged at this, "Tch, girls are so troublesome…"

With the names at least given to Naruto, the blonde orphan took a moment to watch everyone. They all did hold an aura of warmth and trust with each other, even though some had weird or distasteful personality. However, they had known each other since the Military Academy days so they had bonded over time. Naruto however, was nothing but an outsider and he needed to become an Elemental Knight to actually be among them.

Then, a figure emerged from the entrance of the Hokage Tower, sporting the Elemental Knight attire. He wore the standard shoulder pad on his left shoulder and a purple sleeveless outfit with baggy pants, purple as well. The man was smoking a lighted cigarette, smoke floating into the air and black hair with a black beard.

"Alright you maggots, you guys are the ones who want to take part in the Elemental Knights trial?!" The man boomed, "Then get your asses in here and follow me!"

Immediately, everyone fell in order and formed a line at full attention. Naruto quickly followed Shikamaru, standing behind the Nara prodigy as they lined up. Chouji was behind Naruto and began walking as Asuma led the group into the Hokage Tower.

"Wow, that's Sarutobi Asuma," Chouji pointed out, "He's the 3rd Hokage's son, and is considered one of the best Elemental Knights of the Fire Empire."

Naruto looked at the rough man then whispered to Chouji, "This guy? He sure looks like… well, he doesn't look the part."

Chouji chuckled, "That's true but don't let appearance fool you, Naruto. Asuma is considered one of the best duelist in the Fire Empire, and possesses the most offensive element in the world; the Wind Element. I can't believe that he's the one to lead us! It's a huge honor!"

Naruto chuckled nervously and realized he knew very little of the Elemental Knights. Sure, he said that it was his dream but if he really wanted to become one, Naruto realized he had better ask Kuwato for some extra information since Kuwato was also a fan of the Elemental Knights. Naruto was too embarrassed to ask Shikamaru or Chouji about this.

The interior of the Hokage Tower was magnificent; the walls doused yellow in color with beautiful markings on the walls. There were several symbols of the Fire Empire posted on the walls as well and the administration section was filled with people committing to their jobs. And when the clerks and office staff spotted Asuma approaching, they all gave a bow or nod of acknowledgment, with Asuma returning the gesture.

"I hope you won't make a fool out of us, new-comer." Sasuke said, turning to glare at Naruto.

At this point, Naruto could not hold back his temper, "Hey, you got a problem duck-hair? You think you're something just because you're the top of the class?"

Ino and Sakura were pointing daggers at Naruto with their eyes and Sasuke smirked with a look of surprise, "A little fire from the dobe… Heh, but I am serious in that. Don't you dare embarrass us because we've been training for our whole life and now some commoner wants to try his luck."

"Wait, I thought the exams are individual tests?" Naruto questioned.

Sasuke shook his head in laughter and then looked ahead. Chouji then whispered in, "It is individual tests, Naruto… But Sasuke has… a huge ego and he wants to impress the seniors as a whole. We've all been training for this but, don't let him get to you Naruto. You just do the best you can, alright?"

Chouji gave a pat of encouragement on Naruto's shoulder before Asuma opened a large door, leading the group into a large hall. The group entered and the hall was massive, with the ceiling eight meters above them. In front of them, there was a balcony on the far end of the hall and there, several people were standing by for them. Among them was the Hokage. Also, there were several other young ones grouped at the balcony, all staring back at the group.

"Alright maggots, group up with the rest and we can shortly begin the Elemental Knights trial exams!" Asuma barked and then with leaped from the wooden floor and up onto the balcony, joining the rest.

Shino observed the judges above them on the balcony and said to the group, "They're all Elemental Knights…"

Sasuke checked the judges as well and had a confident grin spread across his face when he recognized each of the veteran Elemental Knights. The group joined in with the others, and Naruto realized there was actually a lot more taking the Elemental Knights exam. He assumed it was just Shikamaru and his friends, but altogether, there were at least fifty people here.

At the balcony, Asuma approached the Hokage and then whispered something to him. The old man, Naruto observed, was smoking a pipe, which Asuma probably inherited the smoking habit. The Hokage looked to be around his sixties. He definitely had wrinkles on his face, and on his hips was a sword strapped to him in a sheath.

The Hokage, considered to be the most powerful Elemental Knight of the Fire Empire, wore a different outfit compared to the sleeveless, purple outfit and instead wore a white robe with a hat that had the word 'Fire' written in kanji on it.

After a while, the Hokage whispered something back and Asuma gave a bow and stepped back, joining the other Elemental Knights and looked down below at the young ones. The Hokage stepped forward and approached the railing of the balcony, removing his pipe and releasing smoke from the corner of his lips. He then stared down at the group of young graduates.

"Good morning to you all, I hope you all had a pleasant morning," The Hokage began, smiling at the young ones below, "But first, let me officially congratulate all of you who have passed the exams held at the Military Academy. I'm sure your friends by now are undergoing strict training to be part of the Fire Empire's military forces. But to the lot of you, you have decided that you wish to try and become one of the elite forces of the Fire Empire; the Elemental Knights!"

The Hokage spoke with a passion that ignited the feeling as if the group had already successfully become enlisted into the Elemental Knights. Naruto felt that the Hokage was a wonderful leader; he carried an aura of respect and yet compassion to everyone.

The Hokage continued, "As many of you know, the Elemental Knights are warriors of each empire that can manipulate a natural element. Not everyone was capable of doing so, and thus, normally only the ones who could manipulate elements were inducted to stand as an Elemental Knight. Of course the history of the Elemental Knights was much deeper than this."

"I am sure you have learnt this in the Academy," Sarutobi stated, "But I will remind you all that the beginnings of the Elemental Knight began when the first Hokage and the one who introduced the Elemental Knight was Senju Hashirama. During his time, there were no such things as Elemental Knights and only warriors who could manipulate elements. However, Senju Hashirama realized that there was a method to recognize a warrior who had the potential to become an Elemental Knight and thus, the term was born. The other four powers also began using Hashirama's method, which we shall be using later. At the time, Hashirama was considered the strongest Elemental Knight, and he probably would be in this era if he was still alive. During Hashirama's time, anyone who could manipulate an element became an Elemental Knight."

Sarutobi paused, "However, that was not the case in the Fire Empire. To become an Elemental Knight of Konoha, one must also be well versed in combat to truly serve the Fire Empire."For example, the late 'Yellow Flash' never truly had an Element he could use. He could use the Fire Element, a natural element among us, but was not the best at it. However, his skill with the blade was what put him at the top compared to the rest. If he could have managed both skill and element, he would have been considered the most powerful Elemental Knight in history. Another example would be a current Elemental Knight, Maito Gai."

At this, a man stepped forward and posed with a thumb up, smiling brightly. The group below was stunned at the action while the other Elemental Knights shook their head in embarrassment. The Hokage laughed lightly at Gai's antics.

"Maito Gai is an exception as he cannot manipulate any element at all. However, his skills in martial arts are second-to none. He is considered the best in terms of close-quarter combat and even I will lose to Gai if I engaged him with just my fists. He specializes in hand-to hand combat and despite not being able to use any elements, we allowed him to be an Elemental Knight because of that exception. IF one of you cannot use an element later on, do not be discouraged as we will be assessing you all through three trials."

Sarutobi then looked back, "With that, I'll hand it over to the next speaker."

The Hokage stepped back as he ended his speech and another figure took the spotlight. The man thanked the Hokage with a bow and then glared down at the recruits. Naruto's jaw dropped open when he saw the man, recognizing him immediately. Even worse, the man spotted him in a split second as well and smiled beneath his mask, interested that the boy actually was going through with this.

"I am Hatake Kakashi and I shall now explain the three trials you will face today to become an Elemental Knight." Kakashi began.

However, the group of students was already mesmerized and whispering with one another. Although Naruto had managed to somehow locate Kakashi easily a week ago, Kakashi was normally rarely seen in Konoha. Kakashi preferred to be alone and only very few knew how to find him. It was a wonder that Naruto somehow found Kakashi in a bookstore, of all places buying an adult book for his… stress reliever.

"So this is the great 'White Fang Uchiha'…" One of the recruits mumbled.

"I heard he is the last student of the 'Yellow Flash' of Konoha." A girl gossiped with her friend.

Even Shikamaru, Chouji and in their circle of friends looked impressed at Kakashi's presence. The only one was Sasuke, who simply listened intently at full attention. Naruto also found it weird why Kakashi had a nickname with the clan name 'Uchiha' in part of his nickname.

"There are altogether three trials that we shall hold." Kakashi explained, "I will not explain the next two until we finish the first one, which we shall begin after I explain what we're doing." The white haired Elemental Knight paused for a moment then continued, "We shall be testing to see which one of you can bring out an element within you."

At this, the group of recruits began murmuring with one another, speaking about what Kakashi had just said. Kakashi then snapped his fingers and the door of the hall opened. The group of recruits turned around to find several people dragging in a large block of wood. They set the log in the center of the hall and then left quickly. Once they had shut the door, Kakashi explained what it was.

"This is one of Hashirama-sama's legacies," Kakashi stated, "Hashirama-sama had poured some of his powers into this log that will recognize a person's element and reveal it on his body. This is the method that Hashirama used to discover who had the power of the elements and who didn't. You just have to touch the wood, pour your chakra and then we'll know if you possess the ability to use elements."

The log was at as tall as a door and thick like a box, a very big piece of log. Naruto gulped at the size and also began feeling nervous. This was the first trial and in a sense, this trial would determine what the judges thought of you. An Elemental Knight needed to be able to use elements and if he failed at it… No, Naruto realized he needed to be positive about this.

"Alright then, let's begin!" Kakashi ordered and took out a checklist, "First candidate, Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto turned to the arrogant Uchiha as the raven-haired youngster walked towards the large log with supreme confidence. Ino, Sakura and the other girls in the group cheered for Sasuke with vigor. Amongst the squeals of the girls, Sasuke was composed as he stood before the log and then moved his right hand towards the log and touched it. Nothing happened and only then Sasuke poured a small amount of chakra into the log.

Slowly, Sasuke's right arm was surrounded by electricity, just some small static on his forearm. Then slowly, the current moved to his whole body and then flashes of lightning coursed through his body, with an occasional flash of lightning. Everyone in the group of recruits now saw the potential that Sasuke possessed.

"Very nice Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi called out, scribbling something on the checklist, "You can stop now. You pass the first trial."

Sasuke removed his hand from the log and returned to the group, grumbling with the loud squeals and cheers of girls at his success. The next candidate was called out and this time, was unsuccessful. It immediately threw his confidence and morale with the next candidate failing as well. Several more were called up and some succeeded, others failed.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you're next!" Kakashi called.

Naruto gulped and stepped up, moving towards the log. Chouji gave words of encouragement while Shikamaru merely watched on. Shikamaru was never a talker, but he was going to put his faith on Naruto for this one.

Naruto arrived before the log and then placed his hand on the wooden block. The log felt like nothing special, and Naruto poured his chakra into the log, waiting for his element to show itself. A second passed. Then fifteen seconds passed with nothing happening. At this point, Naruto was already sweating bullets. The group of recruits were also wondering what Naruto was doing and the Elemental Knight judges were growing impatient.

'Why… Why is my element not showing itself?!' Naruto thought.


End file.
